


Who Needs Friends When You've Got Enemies Like These?

by Birdpeople (DeusExMachina)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Blow Jobs, Enemies to Lovers, It's actually all very sweet and touching, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-16
Updated: 2014-08-16
Packaged: 2018-02-13 10:31:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2147370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeusExMachina/pseuds/Birdpeople
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren is shoving Jean and yelling, “What’s your problem, asshole?” which is, to be honest, nothing out of the ordinary for them. So when Jean doesn’t shove back, doesn’t so much as yell, but instead has the gall to stand there looking confused and more than a little lost, Eren’s not entirely sure what to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Needs Friends When You've Got Enemies Like These?

Eren is shoving Jean and yelling, “What’s your problem, _asshole?_ ” which is, to be honest, nothing out of the ordinary for them. So when Jean doesn’t shove back, doesn’t so much as yell, but instead has the _gall_ to stand there looking confused and more than a little lost, Eren’s not entirely sure what to do.

 

He doesn’t even get the chance to say anything. Jean just straightens, sends him a hurt look, and walks away. And it bothers Eren more than it should. Seriously, Jean was getting on his case, he shouldn’t feel guilty for calling him out on it.

 

It’s probably the least satisfying fight he’s ever had.

 

\---

 

The next time something similar happens it bothers Eren to no end.

 

Jean is expounding on his pessimism as usual, being a real pain, and Eren doesn’t hesitate to shout him down, seeing some of the younger recruits looking close to tears.

 

Any other time, Jean would have taken the bait and shouted back. But now, for some reason, even as he opens him mouth, looking furious, he catches Eren’s eye and the ire drains right out of him. Eren practically sees it leave. Instead of shouting, Jean hunches his shoulders, looking blank.

 

He leaves soon after, leaving Eren burning to release his confusion and anger.

 

\---

 

Eren has been vaguely hoping that Jean will give up this new pacifistic stand, but he has no such luck.

 

For the next week or so, each time he makes fun of Jean or brushes past him on purpose or denounces his ideas, instead of rising to the bait as he has in the past, Jean gives him the same blank, hurt look and turns away and ignores him.

 

After a certain amount of this, Eren is seething with frustration. So he confronts the problem the only way he knows how, ambushing Jean and cornering him out in the open while he knew no one would be passing by for a while.

 

“What are you doing?” Eren gritted out.

 

Jean looked his confusion, but Eren could swear he saw the same hurt mask hovering just under the surface. “What do you mean? I’ve been leaving you alone haven’t I?”

 

“That’s just it,” Eren hissed. “Why would you do that? You never had a problem taking a swing at me before. What’s changed? Decided you’re too good for me or something?”

 

And now Jean isn’t looking nearly so composed. If anything, he looks flushed and more than a little guilty. “No, I swear that’s not it,” he says, and Eren is surprised at how quiet his voice comes out.

 

“So what then?”

 

Jean looks away, chewing his lip and clearly thinking about how much too admit to. “I’m sorry,” he says finally.

 

And that was _not_ what Eren had been expecting. He’s a little thrown. Jean never apologizes to him, even when he realizes he was in the wrong. He makes a point of it.

 

“Sorry for what?”

 

Jean shuffles his feet, still refusing to look at Eren. “I’ve been dealing with some… stuff… recently. Well, ever since I joined up, actually.”

 

“What kind of stuff?”

 

“Like I’d ever tell-” Jean catches himself mid-sneer and closes his eyes, gritting his teeth and mastering himself. “I mean. I don’t really want to talk about it.”

 

“Well that I get,” Eren said. “It’s what that’s got to do with me and why you stopped blasting me for being an asshole that I don’t get.”

 

Jean looks at him properly for the first time in minutes. He looks angry, although, curiously, the object of his fury doesn’t seem to be Eren. “I’m sorry,” he says, holding up a hand to forestall and another outburst. “I just realized that- well. My problems aren’t your fault. So I should probably stop taking them out on you.” He speaks quickly, as if wanting to get it over with.

 

“Oh.” Eren backs up half a step to give himself room to consider the other’s words. “Does it make a difference if I say I appreciate it but I’d much rather go back to being enemies with you?”

 

Jean snorted. “We were never enemies, you just get under my skin like no one I’ve ever known. It’s not your fault. Entirely.”

 

Eren rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean. I don’t mind you taking out your anger issues on me, because it gives me an excuse to yell back. Sometimes you need that, you know?”

 

But I guess we’ve just ruined that by dragging it out and examining it,” he went on ruefully. “Damn your crisis of conscience to hell and back, Jean Kirschtein.”

 

“Wait so,” Jean was struggling to keep up. “You really don’t mind that we fight so much?”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, I still think you’re an asshole,” Eren says nonchalantly, “I just think it’s more convenient for me to think that about you and have someone to vent at who won’t tell me to calm down. Like, if I really thought about it, we don’t make great enemies. But I already have friends and I need someone who’ll call me out on my shit and punch back when I need to take a swing, y’know?”

 

“Damn,” Jean says, shaking his head. “I’m gonna totally ruin the moment or whatever, but that was downright poetic, Jaeger. Who’d have thought?”

 

“Shut up or I’m gonna take it back and we’ll have to be friends instead, and then where will we both be?” Eren says, grinning.

 

“I may cry. Where do we go from here?”

 

“Hm. Well we can go back to the way things were. That is totally an option,” Eren says, deliberating. “Or, I guess the natural progression would include hate-makeouts against this wall here.” He speaks casually, his tone implying a joke, but he’s watching Jean carefully for a reaction.

 

He didn’t disappoint, flushing a delicate beetroot color and throat working, able only to utter a single syllable. “Ah.”

 

Eren laughs and Jean’s face darkens. “Oh, you were making fun of me. Well that’s… normal.”

 

He takes a breath, trying to seem casual. “Remember when I said I was taking my issues out on you? Dying to know what that could mean?”

 

“Not in the least,” Eren says, unperturbed. “But I bet you’ll tell me anyway. You’re obstinate like that,” and just to show how much he doesn’t care, he crosses his arms and leans casually against the brick wall.

 

Jean takes a steadying breath. He’d never told anyone this, not really.

 

“My parents kicked me out a few months before I joined the military.” Now Jean was the one studying Eren for a reaction. The kid seemed caught off-guard, tense and introspective. Knowing what he did about Eren, he knew he was trying to figure out how it would feel to know your parents were both still alive, but wanted nothing to do with you.

 

“What did you do until you were old enough to join?” he asks.

 

Jean shrugs. “A had a couple friends who offered me places to stay, floors to sleep on. I didn’t like being in debt though, so I took odd jobs to pay them back.”

 

Eren’s shaking his head. “I haven’t seen my dad since- well, not for a while. I think he’s still alive, but. The fact that your just ditched you? That’s bullshit.”

 

“You’re telling me.” Jean takes a shaky breath. “Still want to be best-enemies-forever, now that you pity me or whatever?”

 

“Depends,” Eren says. “What’d they kick you out for?”

 

“Oh. They found out I’m gay. Didn’t like it. Threw me out.”

 

Eren looked angry again. “Are you really?” Jean nods, braced for the fallout, but it isn’t what he expected.

 

“You can’t help that, then! What, did they think you were doing it on purpose, to piss them off?”

 

Jean shakes his head, bemused. “You’re taking this well.”

 

Eren directs his anger at Jean. Jean nearly smiles at how familiar it feels. “I may be an asshole sometimes, but come on! Did you really think I’d blast you for that? Anyway,” he goes on, “not like I’d want to be a hypocrite.”

 

Jean raises his eyebrows. “No way, Jaeger, you too? I can almost hear the disappointed cries of the thousands of girls who will never get to gaze deeply into your freakishly large eyes and declare their undying love for you.”

 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s not like I don’t like girls. There are just some guys who I’d… yeah. What?” Jean’s grinning at him, eyebrows raised.

 

“Some guys?”

 

“Yeah,” Eren says defensively, “Not like you’re one to judge.”

 

“You offered to make out with me against a wall.”

 

Eren backs up unconsciously, only stopping when his back hits the wall. His face is burning. “So?”

 

“So is that still on the table? Am I one of the lucky few who you’d _yeah_ with?” Jean steps closer, taking advantage of the few inches he had on Eren to look down at his flustered face.

 

Eren is looking away, embarrassed, and Jean is on the point of stepping away when he glances up, and Jean could see the old Eren flowing back into him. “Of course it’s still on the table,” he snaps. “I never say something I can’t back up.”

 

“I dunno,” Jean said, leaning in, “looks like you're the one who’s backed up.”

 

“God, you are the _worst_.”

 

“Only the very best hate-makeout material for you, Jaeger.” He leaned in, face inches from Eren’s before his confident façade faltered.

 

Eren made an impatient noise and closed the distance, a hand at the back of Jean’s neck.

 

Jean couldn’t kiss for shit, as it turned out, and Eren worked his mouth open, biting at his lower lip and licking at his teeth until Jean’s breath was coming in gasps and he was leaning on Eren for support.

 

“Where’d you learn to do that?”

 

“What, you’ve never done this before?”

 

“Well, _golly_ , mister Jaeger, I didn’t realize you were an _expert_ ,” Jean trilled.

 

Eren groaned. He said, “This was a bad idea.” Just at the same time as Jean said, “I want to blow you.”

 

Eren stared. Jean looked at him steadily. When Eren didn’t say anything, Jean sank to his knees, eyes still on Eren’s. His hands on the other’s belt buckle, he asked, “This okay?”

 

Eren let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “God, yes.”

 

Jean smirked. “Eager.”

 

“Better believe I am.” Eren closed his eyes, mind reeling. This was _Jean_. Cynical, awkward-in-a-way-the-meant-he’d-be-hot-in-a-few-years-if-he-lived-that-long Jean Kirschstein. And he was doing interesting things with his tongue, which had Eren hunching over to bury his hands in Jean’s hair and gasping out, “At least you’re better at this than kissing, which isn’t saying much.” He groaned as Jean pulled back, cheeks hollowed.

 

Jean gave him an amused look. “Are you normally this chatty when someone gets you off?” He asked, wrapping cool fingers around Eren’s cock. Eren thrust his hips desperately as Jean set a slow pace.

 

“How should I know,” Eren said breathlessly, “I’ve never done this before.”

 

Jean blinked a little, before shrugging and putting his mouth back to Eren’s cock. Eren closed his eyes again. Heat and sensation were coiling tight in his belly and after a moment, Jean put his free hand to the back of Eren’s thigh and casually raked him with his nails. Eren came with a gasp of shock. It was all he could do to pull his pants back up before he slid to the ground, knees too weak to hold him, still hazy in the afterglow.

 

Jean made a face and discretely spat something whitish onto the ground, face flushed. Eren motioned Jean to come and sit next to him, and Jean did so, cradling Eren’s head against his shoulder protectively and scratching at his scalp in a way that felt really nice. Eren yawned.

 

“Want me to get you off, too?”

 

Jean snorted inelegantly. “What kind of an enemy would I be if I gave you the satisfaction?” Eren knew Jean was just saying it for his benefit, but he was grateful for the excuse all the same. Jean was warm, if rather bony and possessing of ice-cold fingers, and Eren really didn’t want to move yet.

 

“Next time, though,” Eren muttered.

 

Jean hummed.

 

“Should I stop being an asshole to you, then?”

 

“What for? It’s not gonna stop _me_ from being one,” Jean snorted.

 

“Okay,” Eren said. And then, with a smile, “Okay”

 

“You already said that, idiot.”

 

“Shut up.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> So I kind of forgot about this story for a little while, but I finally wrote the ending, so here it is. 
> 
> If you want my tumblr, it's quasi-birdpeople.tumblr.com.


End file.
